I hadn't read the popular Italian comic series this movie's based on, but I figured I had an easy watch on my hands- it's only a vampire movie, after all.
Yet there are also emotional complexities to the story; a child forced into adulthood, in a war-torn world - a man who goes from cynical shyster, using local's superstitions to make a living- to understanding that there's more to him, & to life- thus growing into both a capable warrior, & a better man - & the seething resentment Tesla has for her master, Gorka- having been given no choice in being turned- & she seems to have had no option but to serve him, up to this point: sires & progeny do not appear to have the same kind of familial (or romantic) bond an audience might have come to expect, from other offerings of the genre.
There's also less romanticism in the setting (the war-torn Balkans, of the 90's), & in the relationships between humans & vampires in this story- but it's not quite black & white; while Gorka & the majority of vampires have no regard for humans- however recently they were turned, & little more for his vampiric progeny - Draka's relationship with his dampyr son (&- according to what I've since read- humans) is a tad more complex, & yet- Draka, like Gorka is also a vampire - it will be interesting to see a sequel tackle that dichotomy...
One can also hope that a sequel can address at some point, the biggest questions I had: if he was taken by the three witches, did they not raise him, too? Did they not teach him what he was? He treats being a 'dampyr' as a grift to scam people, 'til he realises that he actually *is* one- & it comes as a shock to him.
That was something I feel like I missed scenes or conversations of- Harlan speaks very, very little about his upbringing- so did they immediately dump him at an orphanage, or did they do a 'Sleeping Beauty' with him, & just raised him in total ignorance of his heritage?
I'm also curious if they will make further appearances in Harlan's journey.
But the bigger questions; did Draka *know* what his relationship with a human could create?
Did he actually *intend* to create a dampyr? I feel like he must have.
Did he intend to raise his child? How - given he's half-human?
And why- when he has the ability to kill vampires? Did he want a weapon against other vampire lords?
Where does Draka fit in the hierarchy of this universe's vampire society? What does him having dampyr offspring mean for- & to- him?
Does he have 'political' motivations for wanting a relationship with Harlan?
Will his friendship with the vampire Tesla affect his potential relationship with his father?
Are there other dampyrs in this universe? What relationship do they have- if any, with their parents?
I hope to see more exploration of this world...
7.5/ 10.
Yet there are also emotional complexities to the story; a child forced into adulthood, in a war-torn world - a man who goes from cynical shyster, using local's superstitions to make a living- to understanding that there's more to him, & to life- thus growing into both a capable warrior, & a better man - & the seething resentment Tesla has for her master, Gorka- having been given no choice in being turned- & she seems to have had no option but to serve him, up to this point: sires & progeny do not appear to have the same kind of familial (or romantic) bond an audience might have come to expect, from other offerings of the genre.
There's also less romanticism in the setting (the war-torn Balkans, of the 90's), & in the relationships between humans & vampires in this story- but it's not quite black & white; while Gorka & the majority of vampires have no regard for humans- however recently they were turned, & little more for his vampiric progeny - Draka's relationship with his dampyr son (&- according to what I've since read- humans) is a tad more complex, & yet- Draka, like Gorka is also a vampire - it will be interesting to see a sequel tackle that dichotomy...
One can also hope that a sequel can address at some point, the biggest questions I had: if he was taken by the three witches, did they not raise him, too? Did they not teach him what he was? He treats being a 'dampyr' as a grift to scam people, 'til he realises that he actually *is* one- & it comes as a shock to him.
That was something I feel like I missed scenes or conversations of- Harlan speaks very, very little about his upbringing- so did they immediately dump him at an orphanage, or did they do a 'Sleeping Beauty' with him, & just raised him in total ignorance of his heritage?
I'm also curious if they will make further appearances in Harlan's journey.
But the bigger questions; did Draka *know* what his relationship with a human could create?
Did he actually *intend* to create a dampyr? I feel like he must have.
Did he intend to raise his child? How - given he's half-human?
And why- when he has the ability to kill vampires? Did he want a weapon against other vampire lords?
Where does Draka fit in the hierarchy of this universe's vampire society? What does him having dampyr offspring mean for- & to- him?
Does he have 'political' motivations for wanting a relationship with Harlan?
Will his friendship with the vampire Tesla affect his potential relationship with his father?
Are there other dampyrs in this universe? What relationship do they have- if any, with their parents?
I hope to see more exploration of this world...
7.5/ 10.